Joyce Borger

  Creator, We bless you for the cycle of the earth:    for my kitchen scraps that became compost to nourish the soil,    for the soil that harbored the seed,    and the sun that awakened it, enticing a flower to burst into bloom,    which in turn nourishes the bee darting from plant to plant.    A necessary link in your created order.        (There are too few bees these days.) Creator, Forgive us for how we have poisoned the earth    and killed entire populations of bees. Forgive us that, because of our desire for beautiful yards,    we have filled the soil with pesticides    and killed off the very plants that bees have needed to thrive. Forgive us that, in the name of progress,   we have turned lifegiving land into lifeless concrete,   we have turned fresh water into cancer superspreaders,    and cut down swaths of forests and sides of mountains. Forgive us for not giving voice to the cries of the land   or amplifying the voice of those most affected by its pollution. Forgive us for thinking that since we are not farmers who care for large swaths of land   we have no responsibility for the land you have given us. Forgive us for thinking that what we do in our small yard    or apartment balcony does not matter,    or that you do not call us to be caretakers and stewards as well. Creator,Help us to set to right what we have broken,    to learn how to care for the soil and plants    so that bees may flourish. Then will these bees return to pollinate plants   that will become food for humans and other of your created beings. Then will the scraps of that food be returned to nourish the earth,    and that fertile soil will in turn produce plants that the bee needs to thrive.May we be attentive to every part of your creation    so that all may flourish. Creator, We bless you for the cycle of the earth,   and for the bee. In the name of Jesus Christ,    who came to redeem all things, Amen. 

It starts with the land. Everything starts with the land. On the first day of creation  God created light and then the next day the waters of the earth were pushed back to form land. The cultural mandate given by God to humans to fill, subdue, and rule over creation (Genesis 1:28) was given before sin entered the world and was meant as a way for us to bear God’s image. Following God’s example, we are to fill the land with our creative productivity. That includes bearing children, but also so much more. We are to subdue the land by rooting out what doesn’t belong—whatever could potentially keep creation from flourishing. We are to rule with God’s wisdom, with deep love and concern for all things, and with a desire for shalom.  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. —Genesis 1:1  I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. —Apostles’ Creed The balance and harmony of God’s creation was shattered when sin entered into the world, and “dominion” began to mean greed and self-preservation. The success of oneself or one’s nation became more important than the flourishing of all things. Sin led to the development of hierarchies in creation and within humanity: those judged superior are given more resources while others struggle to survive. Sin led to the Doctrine of Discovery (see p. 33), which codified the idea that European Christians could claim any land as theirs and swindle Indigenous Peoples out of the land they needed to flourish—or worse, Christians were given permission to kill Indigenous Peoples and destroy their nations and cultures. Sin led to enslavement and the devaluing of people that still exists today. The land, its value, and the desire to use it for personal or national gain without care for others can be found at the core of so many wars, inequities, and yes, even pollution and climate change.  It starts with the land. So as Reformed Worship begins a year-long focus on the intersection of worship and justice, it is appropriate for this issue to begin there as well because if we desire to see our fellow humans and indeed all creation flourish, there are clear implications for our worship. As The Worship Sourcebook articulates so well,  The worshiping community needs to give praise and thanks for the creation; to express grief and pain at the abuse, pollution, and corruption of what God has created; and to offer prayers for God’s blessing on the seasons and on our faithful use of provisions God makes available through the creation. In our corporate worship we also need to affirm human efforts to carry out God’s command to exercise obedient supervision over all God has created; to see wisdom in our tasks of creative efforts; and to seek discipline in our work of being caretakers.  —The Worship Sourcebook, Second Edition © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources, p. 377 In this issue of Reformed Worship we will consider what it means to be caretakers and good neighbors to people in our congregations and communities (p. 3), to students of all ages (p. 47), to those without adequate housing (p. 40), to Indigenous Peoples (pp. 26, 33), and to the creation as a whole (pp. 11, 14, 15, 20). We also consider how we might express our laments and protests visually (p. 50) or preach about justice (42). As always, you will find helpful resources for worship planning and leading as stand-alone resources, such as the Q&A written by our new columnist Rev. Paul Ryan (p. 44), and as sidebars accompanying longer articles.    While we acknowledge that there is much that is wrong in this world, and that we don’t all agree on how best to address those injustices, let us not let go of hope. Instead, let us be inspired by the Holy Spirit to work to build a beloved community that prefigures the promised city where the tree of life flourishes and brings “the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2).

We know that Advent is a time of preparation ahead of Christmas, as Lent is for Easter. But have you ever considered the connection between Ascension Day and Pentecost? Christ’s ascension was a fulfillment of his Easter resurrection, but it also looks forward. Before Christ ascended he gave the promise to send his Holy Spirit—a promise fulfilled on Pentecost. But while the disciples waited for the coming Spirit they were to spend time in prayer—a time of preparation. One reason why so few churches mark Christ’s ascension, I believe, is that we fail to understand not only the theological and salvific significance of the event, but also its connection to Pentecost. Through the message, the worship elements, and the occasional repetition of words, the following two services try to strengthen that connection and reflect on both Christ’s ascension and the Spirit’s coming at Pentecost. To further help congregants see the connection between these two occasions and see the time between Ascension Day and Pentecost as a time of preparation, we have provided a series of devotional activities focused on the fruit of the Spirit. These are downloadable and may be reproduced as long as they include the provided copyright and are not sold. Those devotions are at tinyurl.com/RW147devotional. Ascension Day Gathering Call to Worship: A Litany Based on Psalm 47 The following litany is divided into four voices with a child asking the questions. You could also re-arrange the litany for more or fewer voices and give the child’s part to the whole congregation. However you decide to break up the psalm, make sure it is spoken with appropriate emphasis and reflection to communicate the message as well as the words. 1: Clap your hands, all you nations! Shout to God with cries of joy! Child: Why should we clap our hands? What reason do we have to shout with joy? 1. Well, because the LORD Most High is awesome and is the great King over all the earth. 2: The LORD subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. 3: The LORD chose our inheritance for us: the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. 4: But even more than all of that, our God has ascended from earth to heaven! 3: Indeed, God has ascended amid shouts of joy — the LORD ascended amid the sounding of trumpets! Child: How should we respond to this ascended God? 2: Sing praises to God! Sing praises, of course! 3: Sing praises to our King! Sing lots of praises! 4: Yes, sing praises! 1: Because God is the King of all the earth, sing to him a psalm of praise. 2: God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. 3: The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham,      for the kings of the earth belong to God;      he is greatly exalted. Child: Indeed, God is to be greatly exalted! Let’s clap our hands and sing for joy! Opening Songs of Praise “Clap Your Hands” Owens, PH 166, SWM 2 “Come, Thou Almighty King” Anonymous, LUYH 492, GtG 2 “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” Lyte, LUYH 571, GtG 620 “Nations, Clap Your Hands” Psalm 47, LUYH 216, PfAS 47E “Great Are You, Lord” Ingram, Jordan, Leonard “You Have Made Me Glad” Gayle, Perez, Musso, Gentiles Greeting: Revelation 1:4–5 Songs of Adoration to the Ascended Christ Medley Option 1 “Jesus Is Lord” Chua, LUYH 226 "He Is Lord” Anonymous, LUYH 227 Medley Option 2 “Worthy of It All” Brymer, Hall “O Come, Let Us Adore Him” (refrain only) LUYH 76       Additional verses:             For Christ alone is worthy, . . .             We’ll give him all the glory, . . . Call to Confession While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord, the way we live proclaims our lack of faith in Christ’s power to rule the world. While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord, the way we live proclaims our lack of faith that Christ, having known what it is to be human, is seated at God’s right hand and is interceding on our behalf. While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord, the way we live proclaims our lack of faith that in our baptisms we are united with Christ in his death and resurrection and thus will one day stand before the throne of God and meet God face to face. While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord, the way we live proclaims our lack of faith that, just as Christ promised, the Holy Spirit has come and lives in and among us as our advocate and comforter. Let us confess the incongruity between our faith and practice. Let us pray. —From Reformed Worship 11 © 1989 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church. Used by permission. Additional text by Joyce Borger, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Prayer of Confession and Lament We come, O Lord, on this day of glory to confess our lack of trust. While we sing of your lordship over all creation, we have too often acted as if you are powerless against all the challenges we face in our world, our community, our church, and our personal relationships. We have forgotten that you sit at God’s right hand interceding on our behalf, and that you sent us the Holy Spirit as our comforter and advocate. Help us to live with confidence in your presence today and in hope for life with you forever. Amen. —From Reformed Worship 11 © 1989 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church. Used by permission. Additional text by Joyce Borger, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Sung Prayer of Confession “O Christ, the Lamb of God” John 1:29, LUYH 630 Assurance of Pardon Let us together proclaim these words of faith that offer us an assurance of our pardon: God whose glory fills our world God whose life is closer than breath God whose love is stronger than death God, this God of life and love, Has sent an advocate to save us: Jesus Christ the righteous, now at the right hand of God Not to condemn but to bring full life Not to accuse but to redeem Not to reject but to draw close God, this God of life and love, Has sent an advocate to save us: Jesus Christ the righteous, now at the right hand of God God who hears the cry of our seeking souls God who sees the pain of our suffering bodies God who feels the loss of our grieving spirits God, this God of life and love, Has sent an advocate to be with us forever: The Spirit of truth abides with us eternally Before us to teach and lead, Within us to comfort and heal, Around us to shield and protect, God, this God of life and love, Has sent an advocate to be with us forever: The Spirit of truth abides with us eternally God whose dream brings hope and wholeness God whose ways bring abundance and peace God whose new world is breaking into ours God, this God of life and love, Has made his dwelling place with men and women. God the Almighty welcomes us into a resurrection created world Together with sisters and brothers of every nation Together with saints from every age Together with those who follow in our footsteps God, this God of life and love, Has made his dwelling place with men and women. God the Almighty welcomes us into a resurrection created world. —Christine Sine, “Another Prayer for Ascension & Pentecost,” GodSpaceLight.com. Passing of the Peace As we have received peace from Christ assuring us of our forgiveness, let us also pass that peace to each other. Thanksgiving “Crown Him with Many Crowns” Bridge, Thring, LUYH 223, GtG 268   Proclamation of the Word Prayer for Illumination Blessed are you, Lord God, King of all creation: You have taught us by your Word. Open our hearts to your Spirit and lead us on the paths of Christ, your Son. All praise and glory be yours forever. Amen. —From Reformed Worship 39 © 1996 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church. Used by permission. Scripture Readings Luke 24:50–52; Acts 1:1–14; Ephesians 1:15–23 Sermon: “The Power of Prayer” Sermon Notes We don’t often think about or preach on what happened immediately after Christ’s ascension, but there is something very powerful going on between Ascension Day and Pentecost that shouldn’t be overlooked. The disciples, including the women who were with them, spent those nine days in prayer. While the Lectionary Year A text ends with Acts 1:11, you may want to continue to verse 14, where we read, “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” What did they pray about? The texts give us a few clues. Their prayers included praise to God for what God has done and also what God was going to do through the power of the promised Holy Spirit. That prayer for the Holy Spirit is not a “one and done” prayer but something that believers ought to pray continually. Paul provides an example of that ongoing prayer in Ephesians 1:17: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” This wasn’t a prayer for unbelievers, but for believers who are known for their faith and love. If the disciples and faithful believers needed to pray continually for the gifting and ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, comfort, and advocate for them, then how much more should we? Ultimately, this sermon should link Ascension Day and Pentecost and explain that, just like Advent and Christmas or Lent and Easter, the first speaks to the promise and the later to its fulfillment. It may also be an invitation to spend the nine days between Ascension Day and Pentecost as Christians around the world throughout history have: praying for the Holy Spirit’s outpouring in our lives and world and particularly for the fruit of the Spirit to grow in our lives. (See the introduction for a link to the devotional on the fruit of the Spirit.)   Response to the Word Profession of the Church’s Faith In his divinity, majesty, grace, and Spirit, Christ is not absent from us for a moment. By the Spirit’s power we make the goal of our lives not earthly things, but the things above where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Through the Holy Spirit Christ pours out his gifts from heaven upon us, his members. The Spirit, as well as the Father and the Son, is eternal God. The Spirit has been given to us personally so that by true faith the Spirit makes us share in Christ and all his blessings, comforts us, and remains with us forever. —based on the Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 47, 49, 51, and 53 Prayers of the People The following is a guide for extemporaneous prayers. The pattern provides a suggested text for the opening and closing of each part of the prayer and calls for extemporaneous prayers of thanksgiving, petition, and intercession. —Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, second edition © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources (TWS O.4.4.1). Jesus Christ, mediator and high priest, we thank you for becoming human and for experiencing the joys and sorrows of life, which assures us that you are able to sympathize and rejoice with us. We praise you for the many joys of life:       for the beauty of creation, especially . . .       for your work in this world . . .       for the growth of your kingdom . . . for the greatest source of our happiness, the gift of eternal life . . . As our mediator, you stand before God, petitioning him on our behalf, so we boldly bring before you our prayers for       creation and its care . . .       the nations of the world . . .       our nation and its leaders . . .       this community and those in authority . . .       the church universal as it works on your behalf . . .       this local church in its ministry . . .       persons with particular needs . . . We pray this in your strong name, O Christ, our mediator and high priest. Amen. —Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, second edition © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources (TWS O.4.4.1). Offering   The Lord’s Supper If it isn’t your normal practice to have communion each week or with Ascension Day worship, you may want to consider celebrating it this Ascension Day, highlighting the theological themes the Lord’s Supper and Christ’s ascension hold in common, such as Christ as King of the universe and our union with Christ in his death and resurrection. Call to Service or Discipleship As you leave here today, do so knowing that, just as the disciples received the power of the Holy Spirit and then were sent to proclaim the gospel throughout the world, you too should pray for the Spirit’s ongoing work and presence in your life so you may join the work the Spirit is doing in the world. In these next nine days, spend time reflecting on the fruit of the Spirit and for its increased presence in your life. [Include any additional instructions related to the fruit of the Spirit devotional resource linked in the introduction to these services.] Blessing/Benediction In the week ahead, may God the Holy Spirit move within and among us, giving us spiritual       eyes to see the world as Christ sees it,       ears to hear the world as Christ hears it,       feet that go wherever the Spirit may direct,       and hands to join the Spirit’s work in this world, so that Christ, our ascended Lord, may receive all glory, honor, and praise. Amen. —Joyce Borger, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Used by permission. Get Outside!  In some communities Ascension Day is marked by getting outside, since that is where the ascension happened. If the weather is nice enough where you live, go for a hike! Try to find a hill or mountain to hike up, and when at the top, read the Ascension Day passage (Acts 1:1–11) and reflect on what the disciples must have been thinking and feeling at that time. What do you think Christ was thinking and feeling knowing that those were to be his last moments on earth? If a hike isn’t possible, go for a walk and think about how Christ is Lord over all you see.  Pentecost Gathering Call to Worship A Litany of Psalm 104:24, 27–34 for Three Voices 1: How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. All: All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. 2: When you give it to them, they gather it up; 3: when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. 2: When you hide your face, they are terrified; 3: when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. 1: When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 3: May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works— 2: he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke. All: I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD. Opening Song Suggestions “Creator Spirit, by Whose Aid” Veni Creator Spiritus, Dryden, LUYH 523 “Come, Holy Ghost” Veni Creator Spiritus, Benedict, Mills, LUYH 232 “O Holy Spirit, by Whose Breath” Veni Creator Spiritus, Grant, LUYH 900 “Spirit, Working in Creation” Richards, LUYH 235 “Praise the Spirit in Creation” Hewlett, LUYH 236 “Holy Spirit” Torwalt “Holy Spirit, Come” Walker Greeting: Revelation 1:4–5 Song/Prayer of Adoration to the Holy Spirit “Spirit of God, Unleashed on Earth” Arthur, LUYH 237 Confession and Assurance of Pardon See the Ascension Day service Passing of the Peace See the Ascension Day service Thanksgiving “For Your Gift of God the Spirit” Clarkson, LUYH 525   Proclamation of the Word Prayer for Illumination See the Ascension Day service Sung Prayer for Illumination “We Need the Power of the Holy Spirit” Smallwood, LUYH 321 Scripture Readings Numbers 11:24–30; John 20:19–23; Acts 2:1–21; 1 Corinthians 12:3b–13 Sermon: “Living Breath of God” Sermon Notes Prior to Pentecost the Holy Spirit, though always present in the world, made itself known on rare occasions like the ones we read about in Numbers 11 or John 20. In both those cases the Spirit was given through another mediator. When Pentecost came, the Spirit was unleashed. It fell upon many people and continues to do so today, working in and through believers. The beautiful gift of Pentecost is that the Holy Spirit no longer needs a mediator. Now the Spirit is the mediator. The Holy Spirit also bestows gifts upon believers to be used for building God’s kingdom. If your congregants have spent the last week praying for and reflecting on the fruit of the Spirit (see link in the introduction), it may be helpful to talk about the difference between the fruit of the Spirit (the natural character that all who are connected to the Holy Spirit are to exhibit) and the gifts of the Spirit (tools to be used for the kingdom of God). Though different, the two are intricately intertwined, and both are dependent on a continually growing relationship with the triune God. The real question is whether one’s spiritual fruit and spiritual gifts reflect our oneness in Christ and are evident through our actions as we work together with all believers for the glory of God and the promotion of the gospel. The Spirit has come and breathed life into our souls; how are we now to live?   Response to the Word Sung Response “Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God” Getty, Townend, LUYH 746 Profession of the Church’s Faith See the Ascension Day service Prayers of the People The following is a guide for extemporaneous prayers. The pattern provides a suggested text for the opening and closing of each part of the prayer and calls for extemporaneous prayers of thanksgiving, petition, and intercession. —Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, second edition © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources (TWS Q.4.4.1). Spirit of fire, who came as a rushing wind breathing life and hope into dead bones and cold hearts, we praise you for the comfort and guidance you have given the church throughout the ages: for your presence in creation, especially . . . for changing hearts and guiding decisions as evidenced in . . . for your work through the church universal . . . for your presence in our worship . . . for your sanctifying work in our lives . . . Holy Spirit, we pray for your comfort and guidance as we care for creation . . . for the nations of the world . . . for this community and those who are in authority . . . for the church universal as it works on your behalf . . . for this local church in its ministry . . . for persons with particular needs . . . We pray in the name of the Father and the Son, who live and reign together with you, one God forever and ever. Amen. ­—Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, second edition © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources (TWS Q.4.4.1). Offering Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.  Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.  Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy.  Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.  Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.  Amen. —St. Augustine   The Lord’s Supper If it isn’t your normal practice to have communion each week or with Pentecost worship, consider celebrating it this Pentecost, highlighting how the Holy Spirit unites us with Christ and each other as we partake in communion.   Sending Call to Service or Discipleship As we leave here today, let us pray for the Spirit’s presence and leading in our lives using a prayer by Anthony of Padua, who lived in the thirteenth century. St. Anthony, as he is now called, not only had the gift of preaching but also exuded the fruit of the Spirit through his love and care for the poor. Let us pray. O God, as we leave here, send us forth with your Holy Spirit. Send your Holy Spirit into my heart that I may perceive, into my mind that I may remember, and into my soul that I may meditate. Inspire me to speak with piety, holiness, tenderness, and mercy. Teach, guide, and direct my thoughts and senses from beginning to end. May your grace ever help and correct me, and may I be strengthened now with wisdom from on high, for the sake of your infinite mercy. Amen. —adapted from St. Anthony of Padua (1195–1231), P.D. Closing Song Suggestions “Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading” Niwaglia, LUYH 320, GTG 287, SSS 245 “Lord, Speak to Me, That I May Speak” Havergal, LUYH 754, GTG 722, SSS 557 “Holy Spirit, Truth Divine” Longfellow, LUYH 864 Blessing/Benediction See the Ascension Day service

I wonder what it was like to have a conversation with a friend who then disappeared in front of your very eyes. Can you imagine being part of a prayer meeting that lasted nine days while you prayed for, well, you weren’t entirely sure what to pray for, but you were told to wait and pray so you did? I wonder what it was like to be at that first Pentecost, to have felt and seen the Holy Spirit move in such a powerful way? I wonder how many times during those days the disciples turned to each other and asked, “Christ has ascended. Now what? The Spirit has come. Now what?” This issue of Reformed Worship asks that same question: Now what? What difference do Christ’s ascension and Pentecost have on our daily living and our worship? Christ has ascended, the Spirit’s come . . . now what? We begin with Christ’s ascension. In this issue we focus on the connection between Christ’s ascension and Pentecost. In doing so we consider the practice of using the nine days between the two celebrations to focus on the fruit of the Spirit and to pray that the fruit may grow in our own lives and in the church universal. See “The Fruit of the Spirit: Connecting Ascension and Pentecost” (p. 3) for service plans and a link to devotionals. For a confession litany related to the fruit of the Spirit, see page 10. Brian Hehn provides us with songs of mystery and diversity that are appropriate for Ascension Day and Pentecost Sunday worship (p. 11). Continuing our recent focus on including children and youth in worship, Michael Huerter looks at songs that encourage us to consider the experiences of different age groups in our congregations (p. 14). The Spirit’s presence in our lives as our comforter and advocate reminds us that we are not alone. Throughout the centuries the church has found particular comfort in the words of Psalm 23. This issue’s worship series provides twelve Sundays’ worth of worship suggestions as well as prompts that encourage faith practices to help us open ourselves up to the work of the Holy Spirit throughout the week. In addition to its many creative suggestions, this series also highlights the art of a high schooler and shows again how we might include our youth in various aspects of worship (p. 18). One way the Holy Spirit is at work in our worship is through the preparation for and preaching of God’s Word. The whole congregation participates in that work by listening intently and intentionally to God’s Word as it is proclaimed. John Witvliet suggests some practices for strengthening sermons (p. 29), while Scott Hoezee encourages the preaching of both trouble and good news (p. 34). Between the two articles is a reproducible resource intended to help all ages in your congregation listen to what the Spirit is saying through the preached Word (p. 31). This issue ends with two articles and a resource assuring us that the Holy Spirit is at work not only on Pentecost, but throughout the whole year and in all places, and then encouraging us to join in that work. Our hope is that just as the Holy Spirit is part of each article and resource, both explicitly and in less obvious ways, so too may you experience the working of the Holy Spirit in both the unexpected and the everyday. It is that faithful, daily work that is the answer to the question “Now what?” Now we allow our hearts, lives, and actions to be shaped by the Holy Spirit as we work alongside the Spirit to usher in God’s kingdom here on earth.

For those who use the lectionary, Year A brings us to Matthew 2 and the slaughter of the innocents. This is a difficult pericope and one that you might be tempted to skip over in lieu of Epiphany’s light. But there are important theological reasons to remember this part of the Christmas story and include it in your worship services. If you are struggling with how to do it, here are a few practical helps.

Whether you typically use the lectionary or not, the combining of the Easter story from Matthew with a psalm, a passage from Acts, and another from the letter to the Colossians provides a unique way of telling the Easter gospel message. The litany is arranged for four voices, with each voice reading one of the following texts: Voice 1: Psalm 118:1–2, 14–24 Voice 2: Matthew 28:1–10 Voice 3: Acts 10:39–43 Voice 4: Colossians 3:1–4 There are a few points in the reading of Psalm 118 where All the voices, voice 3, or voice 4 will speak, as indicated by the voice number and coordinating color. It is important that each voice has its own microphone so the script can flow naturally without breaks. Voice 1: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; All: his love endures forever. (Psalm 118:1) Voice 2: After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matthew 28:1) Voice 1: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; All: his love endures forever. Voice 1: Let Israel say: Voice 3: His love endures forever.” Voice 1: Let the house of Aaron say: Voice 4: “His love endures forever.” Voice 1: Let those who fear the LORD say: All: “His love endures forever.” (Psalm 118:1–4) Voice 2: There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2–4) Voice 1: When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 118:5–6) Voice 2: The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” (Matthew 28:5–6) Voice 1: The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. (Psalm 118:14) Voice 2: “Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. (Matthew 28:7–8) Voice 1: Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: All: “The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things! The LORD’s right hand is lifted high; the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!” Voice 1: I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. (Psalm 118:15–21) Voice 2: Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. (Matthew 28:9) Voice 1: The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. (Psalm 118:22–23) Voice 2: Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:10) Voice 1: The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. (Psalm 118:24) Voice 3: “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:39–43) All: Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! Voice 1: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. (Psalm 118:25–27) Voice 4: Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1–4) Voice 1: You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; All: God’s love endures forever. (Psalm 118:25–29)

It was dark. I found myself in the middle of an industrial complex that seemed entirely vacant, with not a car or living being in sight. The gas gauge of the rental car suggested I was almost out of gas. After passing exit after exit with no promise of a gas station, my not-so-great GPS had led me to this area, and as I drove further and further away from the highway, still no gas station appeared. With my two-year-old asleep in the back seat, I felt vulnerable and alone. The wilderness can be found as easily in the midst of a city as in the most secluded place on earth. It is as much a mental or spiritual feeling of loneliness, isolation, and vulnerability as it is a physical location. Normally we do everything we can to avoid the wilderness, but during Lent we are invited to journey into the wilderness. It is in that place of solitude and vulnerability that we often find ourselves most open to God. It is in the wilderness that important truths about life and death come into sharper focus. Few of us deliberately seek out the wilderness, though we all go through times of spiritual drought, thirst, and great need. But Scripture and our own experience testify to the fact that in these places God often shows up in profound and surprising ways. Normally we do everything we can to avoid the wilderness, but during Lent we are invited to journey into the wilderness. In this Lenten issue you will find “A Table in the Wilderness” (p. 3), a worship series through which you can invite your congregation to take a journey in the wilderness, stopping along the way to hear the testimonies of Jesus, the people of Israel, Hagar, Elijah, David, the hungry crowd, and the disciples, learning how God fed and ministered to them in their wildernesses. Connected with the worship series are resources for setting up an outdoor prayer path (p. 12). Another way to highlight the table provisions of God is through weekly celebration of the Lord’s Supper (“Eating More Grace,” p. 16). There are more traditional Lenten resources in this issue as well, including services for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. For Easter we have provided a litany that uses Psalm 118 interspersed with several other Scripture texts to tell the good news of Easter. We continue our recent focus on children and youth with two insightful articles that speak more about older youth and young adults. These two articles appear in reverse order change text to read: The first article, “God Juice and Sticky Faith” (p. 44) reflects on how the faith of young adults is affected by how they participated in worship as children. The second article outlines how different generations speak about sin (“Sin Talk,” p. 47). We also have included another letter, this time addressed to the storytellers in our churches—including preachers (p. 42). Finally, we are grateful for the opportunity to share with you some artwork created by children. Of course, all our worship is meaningless and our creative expressions pointless if we don’t keep God at the center of our worship. “Behold God’s Power and Glory” (p. 40) provides some wisdom for doing exactly that. In case you are wondering, God answered my prayers. I made it back to the highway and eventually did find a gas station—a very different table in the wilderness, but a provision no less.

I’ve been thinking recently about how stories are uniquely human. Though some would argue that animals tell stories too, I’m not sure I agree. They certainly communicate, but that’s not the same as telling a story. Of course, I haven’t studied this, so someone could easily prove me wrong. But I contend that storytelling is part of our being God’s image bearers because God is the author of The Big Story. Already in Genesis 1 and 2 we find God telling a story—a story that reveals the origins of the world not in factual, scientific language but through narrative and poetry. Scripture itself is one long story of creation, fall, and redemption, a story that gets repeated again and again even in modern fiction, and a story in which we find our very selves. Good stories stick in our memories and become a part of us. Good stories reveal something about ourselves or the world. Good stories nourish, heal, inspire, and teach. Stories are uniquely human. They are a gift. Yet so often we ignore that gift. In Western culture, we certainly haven’t paid enough attention to the art of storytelling. We have much to learn from Indigenous cultures that have perfected this art and pass on their history, culture, and teachings through stories. We don’t often make room for stories in our lives or in our worship. We seem to have relegated stories to the realm of children. I wonder if, rather than seeing stories as a medium for truth telling, we have mistaken “story” for “fiction” (in the worst sense of the word). Or maybe stories are suspect because they aren’t directed at the head as much as the heart. Whatever the reason for overlooking our own stories, it’s time that we reclaim them and learn how to tell them well. The teachings of Jesus begin in story and end in symbol—they begin in parable and end in us. These are not Bible stories that we learn; these are our stories. —Leonard Sweet, Soultsunami This issue of Reformed Worship is full of ideas for storytelling. The issue begins with considering how we might best use the digital medium for embodied worship, a unique way of storytelling (p. 3). The worship series “What Is God Like” (p. 12) encourages us to use our imaginations and wonder together about what our great, awesome God is like even as we acknowledge that we can never fully describe or understand God. We tell the story of Christ’s birth through candle-lighting liturgies (p. 19) and children’s dramas (p. 27). We are encouraged to tell disturbing stories (p. 32), including the story of the slaughter of the innocents from Matthew 2 (p. 36). Rev. Scott Hoezee encourages pastors to use stories to pull people into the biblical text (p. 47). We learn about how churches in Scotland allow children to tell their stories through play in worship (p. 44), and we are offered a template for inviting individuals to tell their particular stories in a New Year’s Eve service (p. 40). What is your story? How do you see God in it? What is the story of your congregation? Your community? Where is the Holy Spirit at work in those stories? We hope this issue will spark your imagination as you look for ways to include the beauty and power of story in your worship so your people can confidently claim both God’s revelation in Scripture and God’s ongoing revelation in the life of individuals and communities as part of their stories.

When the coronavirus hit our communities and many worship services moved online, people began asking the question, “What about the kids?” Some churches were adept at answering that question, as it was one they already asked themselves regularly; those churches simply needed to adapt existing practices. For other congregations, it was a new question. Parents who had been taught explicitly or implicitly that they couldn’t worship with kids present or that kids needed their own worship experience found themselves trying to figure out how to engage in online worship alongside their children. Some parents simply didn’t believe it was possible and watched a recorded worship time after their children were in bed, or they stopped watching online services altogether. Other parents were greatly helped by churches that got creative. Some churches adjusted the length of their services, intentionally included elements that were child-friendly, or even experimented with including children in leading worship. Other churches created special worship bags that could be picked up or were delivered to homes to encourage worship participation. And some churches changed nothing. As I watched how congregations responded to this question, I was struck by the disconnect between what we believe and what we do. We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to change hearts and lives, to speak to our souls in ways that don’t depend on our comprehension. We believe that the same Holy Spirit is present and active in our worship. Yet many of us don’t want our children present in worship until they can understand it—an argument we would never apply to other aspects of our lives, such as taking our children to sports events. We speak about the importance of the covenant and how everyone belongs, yet our actions often suggest that our children don’t really belong until they are more grown up. We refer to congregational worship as “adult worship,” and then wonder why our middle and high school students don’t feel they belong. There is a disconnect between our belief and our practice. There is a disconnect between our belief and our practice. I will not argue that our children should never be offered age-appropriate worship opportunities, and certainly every parent (and child) has a day when everyone would be better off with some time apart. Churches need to anticipate and provide for these situations. But what is your church’s default stance toward children in worship? What are you intentionally or unintentionally communicating to them? How might you better enfold children and youth so that they know they belong not just to the church but to God, that the Holy Spirit is at work in and through them, that they have gifts to bring and gifts to receive? What about the kids? In this issue of Reformed Worship we want to encourage worship leaders, pastors, parents, and church leaders to engage that question as it relates to worship. The issue contains excellent articles on topics ranging from how to preach with children in mind, to how to help children make meaning of their faith. Along the way, you will find many other practical suggestions and hear what other congregations are doing. In this issue, we have also tried to model the inclusion we’re talking about by including artwork created by children, as well as a thanksgiving prayer written by a young teen. This certainly isn’t the first time we have addressed the question, so I encourage you to spend some time in our digital library or on our website (ReformedWorship.org). We will continue to highlight the inclusion of children in worship in the next several issues of RW, so we invite you to send in your own ideas as well as contributions from children and youth in your church. Let’s keep exploring this important question together.

It’s never the goal to be caught in an in-between time—that time after what came before and before what comes after. The in-between time is a time of uncertainty. You’ve left what was known, but you haven’t quite arrived at the anticipated. It is often a time of anxiety, especially if you don’t know when it will end or how comfortable to get while you wait. It feels like we are living in an in-between time. There was the “before” time—the time before COVID—and there is the anticipated post-COVID time. Right now we are somewhere between the two, with a growing realization that it may be years before we reach a post-COVID state. Thankfully, our Savior Jesus is quite familiar with in-between times. Following Christ’s resurrection but before his ascension, Christ spent forty days in an in-between time. Sure, he had his resurrected body, but not his glorified body. He had risen from the dead but had not yet ascended to heaven to sit at God’s right hand. The disciples lived in an in-between time too as they awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit following Christ’s ascension. The church has been living in an in-between time since Pentecost: the Holy Spirit has come, but Christ has not yet come again ushering in a new heaven and a new earth. The Holy Spirit has been given to us as a guarantor that Christ too will come. The church has been living in an in-between time since Pentecost: the Holy Spirit has come, but Christ has not yet come again ushering in a new heaven and a new earth. The Holy Spirit has been given to us as a guarantor that Christ too will come. We live in a spiritual in-between time on a cosmic scale and in a physical and emotional in-between time as we journey through this COVID pandemic. Each of us at different times lives in an in-between time in our personal lives as well: the time between graduation and our first job, for example, or between the medical test and the diagnosis, or between the diagnosis and the recovery. But how are we to live as Christians in these in-between times? This issue provides some possible answers to that question. There are resources focused on Christ’s ascension, how his ascension assures us that we too will one day be in God’s presence, and how in the meantime we have someone sitting next to God Almighty who can intercede on our behalf. This issue also includes a worship series focusing on transitions and several articles focused on prayer and the psalms that provide us with many examples of how to live during this in-between time. We are reminded that it is not only acceptable for us to bring our sorrows and anxieties to God in prayer, but appropriate. As you plan and lead worship during this in-between time, may you be used by God through the power of the Holy Spirit to equip your people with worship experiences and faith practices that will sustain them in their life on earth even as they await Christ’s return.